30db: One Man Show

[rating=3.50]

The bio page on 30db.net refers to this collaboration between Brendan Bayliss (Umphrey’s McGee) and Jeff Austin (Yonder Mountain String Band) as “unexpected,” but fans of both bands have long recognized the musical and personal friendship between the pair. After hearing the debut album under the 30db moniker, One Man Show, even outsiders won’t miss the chemistry and similarities that Austin and Bayliss share.

The duo’s search for common musical ground couldn’t have been that tough. Since they’re principals in two bands that commonly break boundaries, there’s plenty of matching influences to go around. Were Bayliss strictly a rock musician and Austin strictly a bluegrasser, they may have never gotten to this point. But both thrive on diversity, and in listening to One Man Show an abundance of ideas are revealed with the aid of a fantastic backing band – Cody Dickinson (drums), Nick Forster (guitars) and Eric Thorin (bass).

Some of the songs, such as “Get in Line,” “Liar” and “Backbone” are so wholly and uniquely Bayliss that it’s easy to imagine them as Umphrey’s tunes. Others like “One More” and “Always Up” smack of Austin’s singular style, which is most blatantly evident in the forlorn lyricism and charged acoustic strumming of “Backfire.” Both musicians embrace their verbose songwriting styles and knack for instrumental arrangement, resulting in fantastic original songs and instrumentals like “Wadmala” and “Instrumental in D.” “Lick #6” catches the entire crew at their finest, and it’s a twisty, tricky tune that utilizes mountainous picking and subtle prog-rock touches to form a representative 4 minutes.

Not surprisingly, the material on the album has considerable range. One Man Show features personable mandolin-laced rock and a majestic coda. The album’s best-known track, “Susanah,” combines a sly vocal phrasing with a country-rock shuffle that brings Drew Emmitt’s style to mind, and “Liar” takes that ethos a step further with a wicked collage of electric and acoustic solos over a memorable hook. The terse “Automatic” finds Bayliss at his most lyrically immediate, offering playful lines (“can you hear me, Dallas Texas?”) as somewhat of a contrast to his normally oblique lyrical style. Austin’s lyrically grim “Grave” is transformed into a rollicking sing-along that rides atop quivering guitars, celebratory piano, and jubilant rhythms.

One Man Show is a surprisingly well-rounded listen, with more whole band contributions than initially expected. While Bayliss and Austin have more than enough talent to carry an album by themselves, 30db’s promising existence is solidified by the wonderfully produced songs that comprise the album.

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